ContentsOrganization of the Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes Archive Container List Writings about the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Ballets Russes: Company members; Clippings; Tour Information; Drawings |
Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes ArchiveProcessed by the Music Division of the Library of Congress2007
Biographical NoteThe Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev (also known as Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes) was a creation of the great Russian impresario, Serge Diaghilev. In 1907 Diaghilev presented a festival of Russian music at the Paris Opera and, in 1908, he returned to offer six performances of Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov, which marked the first performance of the opera outside Russia. Upon his re-engagement in 1909, Diaghilev added four ballets to his operatic presentations. The enormous popularity of the ballets was such that in 1910 Diaghilev offered only “Ballets Russes.” Because many of the Russian dancers performing with Diaghilev were members of the Maryinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg, they were allowed to travel only when their season was over and Diaghilev soon realized the importance of creating a permanent dance company in the West. From 1909 to 1912, the Russian choreographer Michel Fokine’s works dominated the repertory of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, but Fokine’s resignation allowed Diaghilev to re-conceptualize the company and to commission works that fulfilled his personal aesthetic. Vaslav Nijinsky was anointed as the choreographer who would open the door to Diaghilev’s principles of modernism in ballet. Thereafter, the succession of choreographers that continued Diaghilev’s ideals included Léonide Massine, Bronislava Nijinska, and George Balanchine. Between 1918 and 1922, Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes performed for long periods of time in London; however, by the mid-1920s, the company split its time between Paris and Monte Carlo. In Monte Carlo, Diaghilev enjoyed the support of the ruling Grimaldi family and was also providing dancers and choreographers for most of the Théâtre de Monte-Carlo’s operatic productions. One of Diaghilev’s most significant legacies was his collaboration with other artists. For example, he commissioned scores from Debussy, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Satie, Poulenc, and Prokofiev, and is credited with establishing Stravinsky’s international career. Diaghilev also worked closely with the numerous painters and sculptors who created designs for his company, including Bakst, Benois, Matisse, Picasso, Rouault, Gris, Braque, Utrillo, and Miró. However, perhaps his greatest contribution to the world of ballet was his support of the choreographers Nijinsky, Massine, Nijinska, and Balanchine. Likewise, he launched the careers of many dancers, including names such as Adolph Bolm, Léonide Massine, Lydia Lopokova, Olga Spessivtseva, Anton Dolin, Alexandra Danilova, Alicia Markova, and Serge Lifar. Throughout its existence, Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes set new standards for ballet technique and played an important role in creating a significant body of choreographic works—many of which continue to be performed in the repertories of ballet companies throughout the world. After Serge Diaghilev’s death in 1929, René Blum was appointed director of ballet at the Théâtre de Monte-Carlo. Blum was determined to establish a new Russian ballet company at the Théâtre and, in 1931 he met Colonel Wassily de Basil. De Basil had emigrated to Paris in 1919 and was the director of L’Opéra Russe à Paris. In late 1931, de Basil and Blum created Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo with George Balanchine as ballet master and Boris Kochno as artistic director. The company’s first season opened at the Théâtre de Monte-Carlo in 1932 and, at the end of the year, Balanchine left and was replaced by Léonide Massine. Massine remained with the company until 1937. After a disagreement with Blum in 1934, de Basil became the sole director and the company became known as the Ballets Russes de Colonel W. de Basil (later called the Original Ballet Russe). When de Basil died in 1951, his associate George Kirsta organized a new company that opened four months later at the Wimbledon Theatre, England. Despite some local touring, the company performed for the last time in January 1952. Known variously throughout the years as the Ballets Russes de Colonel W. de Basil (1932-1938), Colonel W. de Basil’s Ballet Russe (1937, in New York), Educational Ballets Limited (1938), Covent Garden Russian Ballet (1938-1940), and the Original Ballet Russe (1940-1952), the company crisscrossed the globe and was instrumental in the popularization of ballet worldwide. Serge Grigoriev studied ballet at the Imperial Theatre School in Saint Petersburg and, in 1909, Diaghilev appointed him as company régisseur (rehearsal director) for the first Paris season of his Ballets Russes. Grigoriev remained in this position until Diaghliev’s death in 1929. Upon the formation of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, Grigoriev served once again as régisseur, remaining with the company until its dissolution in 1952. During the 1950s, along with his wife, dancer Lubov Tchernicheva, he staged revivals of Fokine ballets for Sadler’s Wells Ballet (later known as the Royal Ballet), the London Festival Ballet, and La Scala, and oversaw rehearsals for Massine ballets. Grigoriev died on 28 June 1968.
Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Content NoteThe Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes Archive is comprised of materials that document Serge Grigoriev’s career as a dancer and as régisseur (rehearsal director) for the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev (1909-1929). Grigoriev served in the same capacity for the Ballets Russes de Colonel W. de Basil (1932-1952). The manuscripts, photographs, and other documents that are included in this Archive provide one of the richest collections of information on these two dance companies available anywhere. Although the majority of the materials in the Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes Archive relate to the companies of Diaghilev and de Basil, the Archive contains several items from another Russian ballet company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. By 1937 differences between Massine and de Basil led to the formation of a company for Massine with backers that included Sergei J. Denham, who eventually became the general director. The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo existed from 1938 to 1962. Return to the Table of Contents Selected Search TermsPeople
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Return to the Table of Contents Organization of the Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes ArchiveThe Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes Archive is organized into six series:
Return to the Table of Contents Container ListWritings by Serge GrigorievThe core of the Serge Grigoriev/Ballets Russes Archive is the collection of manuscript drafts for his work The Diaghilev Ballet 1909-1929 (translated into English by Vera Bowen and published in 1953) and an unpublished manuscript titled Original’nyi Russkii Balet 1932-1952 (also called Original’nyi Russkii Balet pod upravleniem Colonel W. De Basil 1932-1952 [The Original Ballet Russe under the management of Colonel W. De Basil 1932-1952]). Other notebooks contain descriptions and cast lists for choreographic works performed by the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev (also known as Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes) and Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (also known as the Original Ballet Russe). Manuscript draft of S.P. Diaghilev i ego ‘Russkii Balet’ 1909-1929 [The Diaghilev Ballet 1909-1929]Five notebooks, in Russian, occasional corrections in pencil; dated London, 24 April 1952Two notebooks, containing details of the choreographies for many ballets for both the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes de Col. W. De Basil, c.1926-1936Manuscript draft of Original’nyi Russkii Balet pod upravleniem Colonel W. De Basil 1932-1952[The Original Ballet Russe under the management of Colonel W. De Basil 1932-1952]Manuscript copy of Original’nyi Russkii Balet 1932-1952, in Russian, with a 35-page typed appendix in English of ballets performed by the company during those datesCollection of loose working notes relating to Grigoriev’s manuscripts, comprising:• An early manuscript draft from Russkovo Baleta S.P. Diaghileva, in Russian, covering ; dated 194815 November 1949• Manuscript in Russian, titled Kratkaia Biographia S.P. Diaghilev i ego deyatelnosti 1872-1929[A Short biography of Diaghilev and his Works]• Manuscript and typed lists of dancers, artists, composers, and others involved in the company’s productions; manuscript lists of Diaghilev’s productions; a manuscript account of Diaghilev’s relations with his artistic collaborators, including Derain, Larionov, Picasso, and Matisse• Various other working notes, including choreographic diagrams, manuscript and typed notes relating to the Ballets RussesManuscript draft of Original’nyi Russkii Balet[The Original Ballet Russe 1932-1952], five notebooks in Russian; dated 2 September 1952 and 18 August 1960PhotographsThis series contains photographs of most of the principal artists associated with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Personal NamesAlgeranoff, HarcourtAlonso, AlbertoAlonso, Alberto and Denisova, AlexandraAmsermet, Ernest; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Lifar, Serge; Nikitina, Alice; and Doubrovska, FeliaBalanchine, George; Tchernicheva, Lubov; and Doubrovska, FeliaBalanchine, George; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Doubrovska, Felia; and Lifar, SergeBaronova, IrinaBaronova, Irina and Petroff, PaulBaronova, Irina and Lichine, DavidBorovansky, Edouard; Rostov, Dmitri; and Tchernicheva, LubovBousloff, Serge and Grigorieva, TamaraConus, NatalieDanilova, AlexandraDanilova, Alexandra and Petroff, PaulDanilova, Alexandra; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Grigoriev, Serge; and Doubrovska, Feliade Basil, Col. W.de Basil, Col. W. (with others)Denisova, Alexandra (Patricia Denise Meyers; also known as Patricia Meyers and as Patricia Denise)Denisova, Alexandra and Osato, SonoDiaghilev, Serge and Kochno, BorisDiaghilev, Serge; Kochno, Boris; and Picasso’s childrenDokoudovsky, VladimirDoroudovsky, M.Doubrovska, Felia; George Balanchine; and Tchernicheva, LubovDoubrovska, Felia; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Grigoriev, Serge; and Danilova, AlexandraDoubrovska, Felia; Tcherkas, Constantin; and Tchernicheva, LubovFederov, Michel and Tchernicheva, LubovGeltser, EkaterinaGilpin, John (?) and Riabouchinska, TatianaGrigoriev, SergeGrigoriev, Serge and Tchernicheva, LubovGrigoriev, Serge (with others)Grigoriev, Serge with de Basil, Col W.Grigoriev, Serge; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Danilova, Alexandra; and Doubrovska, FeliaGrigorieva, TamaraGrigorieva, Tamara and Bousloff, SergeGrigorieva, Tamara and Lichine, DavidGrigorieva, Tamara; Lichine, David; Toumanova, Tamar; and Riabouchinska, TatianaGrigorieva, Tamara and Massine, LéonideGrigorieva, Tamara and Morosova, OlgaGrigorieva, Tamara; Nelidova, Vera; and Tchinarova, TamaraGrigorieva, Tamara and Petroff, PaulGrigorieva, Tamara and Stogonova, NinaGreigorieva, Tamara and other(s)Hyman, Prudence (also known as Strogova, Pauline)Jasinski, RomanJasinski, Roman and Tchernicheva, LubovJasinski, Roman; Tchernicheva, Lubov; and Mackenzie, KennethKarsavina, TamaraKarlewska, JadwigaKochno, Boris and Diaghilev, SergeKochno, Boris; Diaghilev, Serge; and Picasso’s childrenKshessinska, MatildaKyasht, LydiaLazowski, YurekLazowski, Yurek with othersLeskova, TatianaLichine, DavidLichine, David and Baronova, IrinaLichine, David and Grigorieva, TamaraLichine, David; Grigorieva, Tamara; Toumanova, Tamar; and Riabouchinska, TatianaLichine, David and Riabouchinska, TatianaLichine, David and othersLifar, SergeLifar, Serge; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Nikitina, Alice; and Doubrovska, FeliaLifar, Serge; Ansermet, Ernest; Nikitina, Alice; Doubrovska, Felia; and Tchernicheva, LubovLloyd, BarbaraMackenzie, KennethMackenzie, Kenneth and otherMackenzie, Kenneth and Tchernicheva, LubovMackenzie, Kenneth; Jasinski, Roman; and Tchernicheva, LubovMarra, EleanoraMassine, LéonideMassine, Léonide and Grigorieva, TamaraMassine, Léonide and Tchernicheva, LubovMassine, Léonide; Nemchinova, Vera; and Tchernicheva, LubovMordkin, MikhailMorosova, OlgaMorosova, Olga and Grigorieva, TamaraMorosova, Olga; Zorina, Vera; and Strogova, PaulineMorosova, Olga and othersNelidova, Vera [Cuff, Betty]Nelidova, Vera; Grigorieva, Tamara; Tchinarova, TamaraNemchinova, VeraNemchinova, Vera and Tchernicheva, LubovNemchinova, Vera; Massine, Léonide; and Tchernicheva, LubovNijinska, BronislavaNijinsky, VaslavNijinsky, Vaslav (with his family)Nikitina, AliceNikitina, Alice; Tchernicheva, Lubov; Doubrovska, Felia; and Lifar, SergeOsato, SonoPanaiev, MichelPetroff, PaulPetroff, Paul and Baronova, IrinaPetroff, Paul and Danilova, AlexandraPetroff, Paul and Grigorieva, TamaraPetroff, Paul and Tchernicheva, LubovPetroff, Paul; Tchernicheva, Lubov; and Rostov, DmitriRiabouchinska, TatianaRiabouchinska, Tatiana and Gilpin, John (?)Riabouchinska, Tatiana and Lichine, DavidRiabouchinska, Tatiana and Toumanova, TamaraRiabouchinska, Tatiana; Toumanova, Tamara; and Verchinina, NinaRiabouchinska, Tatiana; Toumanova, Tamara; Lichine, David; and Grigorieva, TamaraRostov, DmitriRostov, Dmitri and Tchernicheva, LubovRostov, Dmitri; Tchernicheva, Lubov; and Petroff, PaulRostov, Dmitri; Tchernicheva, Lubov; and Borovansky, EdouardRostova, Lubov and othersSand, IngeSchwezoff, IgorSiniavine, AlecSkibine, GeorgeSkibine, George and othersSlavenska, Mia; Grigoriev, Serge and Vladimir; and Tchernicheva; LubovStepanova,TatianaStogonova, Nina and Grigorieva, TamaraTcherkas, Constantin; Doubrovska, Felia; and Tchernicheva, LubovTchernicheva, LubovTchernicheva, Lubov (head shots)Tchernicheva, Lubov (with others)Tchernicheva, Lubov; Ansermet, Ernest; Doubrovska, Felia; Lifar, Serge; and Nikitina, AliceTchernicheva, Lubov; Balanchine, George; and Doubrovska, FeliaTchernicheva, Lubov; Danilova, Alexandra; Grigoriev; and Doubrovska, FeliaTchernicheva, Lubov and Nemchinova, VeraTchernicheva, Lubov; Nemchinova, Vera; and Massine, LéonideTchernicheva, Lubov and Grigoriev, SergeTchernicheva, Lubov and Massine, LéonideTchernicheva, Lubov and Petroff, PaulTchernicheva, Lubov and Jasinski, RomanTchernicheva, Lubov; Jasinski, Roman; and Mackenzie, KennethTchernicheva, Lubov; Nikitina, Alice; Doubrovska, Felia; and Lifar, SergeTchernicheva, Lubov and Mackenzie, KennnethTchernicheva, Lubov and Rostov, DmitriTchernicheva, Lubov (in various works)Tchinarova, Tamara; Grigorieva; and Nelidova, VeraTchinarova, Tamara and othersToumanova, TamaraToumanova, Tamara and Riabouchinska, TatianaToumanova, Tamara; Riabouchinska, Tatiana; Lichine, David; and Grigorieva, TamaraToumanova, Tamara; Verchina, Nina; and Riabouchinska, TatianaTupine, OlegVerchinina, Nina (Nina Verchinina de Beausacq)Verchinina,Nina and Tchernicheva, LubovVerchinina, Nina; Toumanova, Tamara; and Riabouchinska, TatianaVolkova, Anna and othersWoizikowski, Leon [Leon Wójcikowski]Zorina, Vera; Morosova, Olga; and Hyman, PrudenceZorina, Vera and othersZvereff, NicholasUnidentifed (non-dance)Unidentified groupsChoreographic WorksL’ Après-midi d’un FauneAurora’s WeddingBlue DanubeLes BichesCain and AbelCarousalCendrillonLes Cent BaisersLe Chant du RossignoChoreartiumLe Coq d’OrDanses Slaves et TziganesLa Fille du PharaonThe FirebirdFrancesca da RiminiThe Good-Humored LadiesGraduation BallIcareLes NocesPaganiniLes PapillonsPavanaPetruchkaLes PrésagesPulcinellaRomeo and JulietShéhérazadeLe Soleil de Nuit [later Midnight Sun]Le Spectre de la RoseLes SylphidesSwan LakeSymphonie FantastiqueThamarLe TricorneUnidentified WorksPhotograph AlbumsThis series contains albums that span the dates 1916 to 1948 and include nearly 3,000 of Serge Grigoriev’s photographs of ballet dancers and colleagues in the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Some are signed and many are unpublished. Included are photographs of George Balanchine, Irina Baronova, Alexandra Danilova, Colonel W. De Basil, Serge Diaghilev, Vladimir Dokoudovsky, Serge Gregoriev, Tamara Grigorieva, David Lichine, Serge Lifar, Léonide Massine, Vera Nemchinova, Bronislava Nijinska, Vaslav Nijinsky, Tatiana Riabouchinska, Tamara Toumanova, and Vera Zorina, just to name a few. The albums also contain photographs of the company in locations around the world, including Monte-Carlo, Montreux, Roquebrune, Berlin, Edinburgh, London, Barcelona, Montserrat, Paris, Guadalajara, Santiago (Chile), Rio de Janeiro, Havana, New York, Lima, La Paz, Buenos Aires, Quito, Bogota, Caracas, Bombay, Melbourne, and Sydney as well as cities throughout Samoa, Ceylon, Central America, Aden, the United States, and New Zealand. Of particular interest is the scrapbook of passport or identification photographs that identify the dancers by their original names. The albums are rich in performance photographs of works that include Francesca da Reminit, Schéhérazade, Thamar, The Firebird, Paganini, Cendrillon, Cain and Abel, Les Cent Baisers, Aurora’s Wedding, L’Après-midi d’un Faune, Les Présages, Choréartium, Petrouchka, Good Humoured Ladies, Danses Slaves, Blue Danube, Swan Lake, Pulcinella, Le Chant du Rossignol, Les Noces, Petrouchka, and include photographs of the costume and/or set designs for Zéphire et Flore, Renard, Les Biches, Les Fâcheux, and Barabau. Family photographs, locations () 1916Uncaptioned, undated photographs of locations, Grigoriev family () 1917Monte-Carlo, Montreux, Berlin, Edinburgh, Paris, London, Barcelona, Montserrat, 1935 and 1936 tours of U.S. () 1918-1935Uncaptioned, undated photographs of locations and of the Ballets Russes in performance () 1919-1920-19211935 and 1936-1937 tours of US; Barcelona performance photographs of Schérérazade, Les Cent Baisers, Aurora’s Wedding, L’Apres-midi d’un Faune, Les Présages, Chorertium, Good Humored Ladies, Firebird, Danses Slaves et Tziganes, Blue Danube, and Swan Lake. () 1935-1938London, Paris, Italy, 1938 American tour; Ceylon, Australia, India, New Zealand, Aden () 1936-1940Australia, London, Schérérazade and Francesca da Rimini; portraits of numerous dancers, including Toumanova, Riabouchinska, Verchinina, Nemchinova, Denisova, Lifar, Lichine, de Basil, Gregoriev, as well as performance shots of Paganini, Pavana, Graduation Ball, and Petruchcka () 1939-1940Lubov Tchernicheva (and others) in Francesca da Rimini (1940 Australia tour) () 1939-1940Performance shots of Lubov Tchernicheva in Francesca da Rimini, Thamar, Schérérazade, Paganini, Cendrillon, Cain and Abel. Photographs of other dancers include Paul Petroff, Roman Jasinski, Kenneth MacKenzie, Dmitri Rostov, David Lichine, and Edouard Borovansky. This album contains full company and performance shots in Buenos Aires (1944) () 1944-1946Samoa, Havana, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, Equador, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Spain () 1940-1948Album of undated, uncaptioned photographs () n.d.Performance photographs and/or illustrations of set designs for Pulcinella, Le Chant du Rossignol, Les Noces, Zéphire et Flore, Mavra, Renard, Les Biches, Les Facheux, and Barabau () n.d.Headshots of members of Ballets Russes (possibly passport or identification photos; 2 albums) () n.d.ProgramsThis series contains programs and souvenir programs for Colonel W. de Basil’s Ballets Russes (also known as the Original Ballet Russe) and for Sergei J. Denham’s company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1938-1962). For original souvenir programs for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes’s premiere performance of The Firebird (1910) and a 1924 performance at La Scala, see Box 226 in the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Collection. Théatre de la Danse – La Nijinska, Ballets Russes ; Souvenir Program 1934Col. W. de Basil’s Ballets Russes, ; Souvenir Program 1936-1937Col. W. de Basil’s Ballets Russes, 1937Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, 1941Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, ; Program Supplement 1941Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, ; Souvenir Program 1943-1944Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, ; Souvenir Program for Song of Norway 1944Original Ballet Russe, 1946Original Ballet Russe, ; Souvenir Program 1946Original Ballet Russe, ; Souvenir Program 1946-1947Loose pages and covers from various souvenir programsWritings about the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe de Monte CarloThis series contains publications about two of the famous Russian dance companies: the Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev (known also as Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes) and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, a company that was created for Léonide Massine upon his departure from Ballets Russes de Colonel W. De Basil. This company was led by Sergei J. Denham and existed from 1938 to 1962. Advertising flyer, The Diaghilev Ballet, 1909-1929, by S.L. GrigorievMaynard, Olga. Petrouchka: Diaghilev’s 1911, Joffrey’s 1970, n.d.Blanche, Jacques-Emile. Leon Bakst dans le Ballet Russe, (incomplete) n.d.Anderson, Jack, Janet Light, and Malcolm McCormick. The Golden Age of Costume and Set Design for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, 1938-1944. Cincinnati Art Museum, 2002Art et Danse, no. 4, Juin-Juillet 1959Schaikevitch, Andre. "Le Destin du Ballet de L’Opera," in La Revue Musicale, pp. 278-279, 1971Lifar, Serge. Undated, holograph document (two pages in ink); fragmentary discussion on Prokofiev and Le Fils Prodigue () and an assessment of choreographer Léonide Massine. [Photocopy of original, which can be found in ML95.L54 no. 1] 1929Schouvaloff, Alexander. Serge Diaghilev: The Centenary Exhibition of Les Ballets Russes. The Daniel Katz Gallery, London, 2009Jeschke, Claudia, ed. Schwane und Feuervögel: Die Ballets Russes 1909-1929, Munich, 2009Exhibition brochures: Library of Congress (); New York Public Library for the Performing Arts () 20092009Bloom, Julie. “Admiring the Man Who Made Ballet Modern,” in The New York Times, 23 August, 2009Ballets Russes: Company members; Clippings; Tour Information; DrawingsThis series contains miscellaneous materials relating to Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes (1909-1929) and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (also known as various other names including the Original Ballet Russe, 1932-1952). Receipt acknowledging payment from Serge Diaghilev to Vaslav Nijinsky, 1917ClippingsTour InformationNotebook of drawings of members of the Ballets Russes by Grant MacDonaldSalary list, undatedPersonal papers (Grigoriev)Drawings and other imagesChoreographic notes for Graduation Ball, choreographed by David Lichine in 1940Return to the Table of Contents |